Hungary's New Burden: Army of Homeless

Published: October 23, 1990

(Page 2 of 2)

Homelessness has been visible in Hungary for several years, a symptom both of the failure of the old order and its growing tolerance for public signs of disorder. But now the problem has taken on new dimensions, magnified by the abrupt changes that are shaking this society and its neighbors.

Mr. Lokner identified several sources of the problem: the decision by factories to save money by closing hostels that were once home to several hundred thousand single men, an amnesty announced in June that freed 3,000 prisoners who had less than a year left to serve on their sentences and the loosening of travel restrictions in neighboring countries, particularly Romania.

With its higher standard of living and its shops full of meats, vegetables and coveted Western goods, Hungary has long been a magnet for travelers from all over Eastern Europe.

"Traditionally, we have been more tolerant, but that too is changing," Mr. Lokner said. "As this country falls deeper into poverty, it cannot accept the burden of its neighbors."

Mr. Lokner said the number of Romanians living illegally in Hungary is now approaching 100,000. At the Keleti, Romanians make up almost half of the homeless and their destinies are the most uncertain. 'Not in My Backyard'

A married couple from the Romanian city of Oradea, who declined to give their names, said they were planning to live at the Keleti while they waited for rooms in separate workers' hostels. "I am ready to take any job rather than go back," said the husband, a locksmith.

Other countries in the region have restricted travel by Romanians, but Hungary has refused to do so, largely out of concern for the large Hungarian minority in Romania.

In coping with the homeless, the Hungarians have come up against problems familiar to social agencies elsewhere, including the "not in my backyard" phenomenon. When the Budapest City Council considered turning an empty military barracks into a shelter for the homeless recently, residents of the district protested, causing the city to back down at least temporarily.

Problems like the homeless are also straining relations between local councils and the national Government as they argue over which should take responsibility. And in Hungary, where the private sector is still struggling to its feet, private charity is in no position to step into the breach. The Red Cross and the Roman Catholic Church are sponsoring shelters for the homeless, but they are dependent on state aid.

"In this country," Mr. Lokner said, "all organizations are poor."

Photos: Homeless people sleeping on cardboard at Keleti train station in Budapest. (pg. A1); The Hungarian Government estimates that there are 20,000 hard-core homeless people in Budapest. Wide awake, a child sat up as members of his family and others slept at the train station at Keleti. (Andras Bankuti for The New York Times) (pg. A8)